The Vicksburg Post prints obituaries for residents, former residents and residents’ immediate family members who resided elsewhere when notified by a family member or a funeral home. There is no charge for printing an obituary, but all are edited to meet the newspaper’s requirements.

Joseph Turpin Drake Jr.

PORT GIBSON Joseph Turpin Drake Jr. died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003, at Claiborne County Nursing Center. He was 87.

Born in Port Gibson, Mr. Drake graduated from Chamberlain-Hunt Academy in 1932 and from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., in 1936. He attended Washington & Lee Law School, passing the bar in 1938.

He practiced law with his father in Port Gibson at the firm of E.S. & J.T. Drake, and he operated Drake Insurance Agency until it was sold in 1985. He served as an alderman with the City of Port Gibson. He retired in 1998 after 60 years of service.

Mr. Drake was a Navy veteran, serving in World War II in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Hornet. He completed his service as a lieutenant.

He was a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, American Bar Association and Port Gibson United Methodist Church, where he was treasurer and a member of the Administrative Board. He was a charter member of the Mosswood Country Club, Port Gibson Lions Club and Mount Ararat Hunting Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph T. Drake and Mary Person Drake; a sister, Isabella Drake Batton; and a daughter, Rose Drake Burrell.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Rose Daniels Drake; two daughters, Ruthie Drake Fahey of Baton Rouge and Jackie Drake Wilson of Madison; a son, Joseph T. Drake III of Jackson; his sister, Ellen Drake McCarley of Port Gibson; and eight grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Port Gibson United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Wintergreen Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Glenwood Funeral Home in Port Gibson and from 1 p.m. Thursday until the service.

Pallbearers will be Alex Batton, Hank Drake, Mac Drake, Ed Swoope, Larry Hancock, Thomas Nichols, Robert Gage and Bob McDaniel.

Memorials may be made to Port Gibson United Methodist Church or Chamberlain-Hunt Academy.

Annis McBride

CARPENTER Annis “Lightning” McBride died Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2003, at River Region Medical Center. He was 70.

Mr. McBride was born in Natchez to the late Willie Ruffin and Bertha Lee Shanks.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Jasper Ruffin, Marshall Ruffin and Mill Ruffin; and four sisters, Ethel Davis, Willie Russell, Matilda Sorrells and Emma Lee Shanks.

He is survived by his wife, Jessie L. McBride of Carpenter; four daughters, Brenda Henderson of Carpenter and Mary Shorter, Vera McBride and Betty Jones, all of Hermanville; three sons, Robert McBride of Vicksburg, Pearl Jones of Chicago and J.D. Williams of Pattison; four sisters, Johnnie James and Willie V. Gusta, both of Port Gibson, Frankie B. Nicks of Carlisle and Bertha Ruffin of Natchez; three brothers, Robert McBride and Ervin Ruffin, both of Chicago, and Louis Ruffin of Waukegan, Ill.; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends, including Ray Banks of Hermanville.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist M.B. Church in Hermanville with the Rev. Johnny Hughes Sr. officiating. Burial will follow at Pattison Cemetery under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home Inc. of Port Gibson.

Visitation will be Friday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Jerimiah Evans, Dannie Porter, Otis Walls, J.C. Shorter, John Obie and Adam Wells.

Honorary pallbearers will be Robert McBride, James Williams, Johnny Williams, Pearl Jones, Leroy Williams and Ray Henderson.

Thomas Leslie McCowan

OAK GROVE Thomas Leslie McCowan died Monday, Aug. 11, 2003, at Carroll Nursing Home in Oak Grove. He was 82.

Mr. McCowan was an Oak Grove native.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ivory and Thomas Jefferson McCowan.

He is survived by his wife, Mable Gladine McCowan of Oak Grove; a son, Larry McCowan of Epps, La.; three daughters, Bertha Collier of Epps, Betty Jo Green of Monroe and Shirley Kindrix of Pioneer, La.; his sister, Willie Stone of Oak Grove; and nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 3 p.m. today at Mount Zion Church of God in Oak Grove with the Revs. Bobby Prueitt and Donnie Linson officiating. Burial will follow at Red Wing Cemetery in Oak Grove.

Pallbearers will be Jimmy Paxton, Johnny Paxton, Donnie Paxton, Justin Paxton, James Cook, Cole Butts and Donald Sasser.

Richard G. Watkins

Richard G. Watkins died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003, at his home in Vicksburg. He was 71.

Born in Dixon, Miss., Mr. Watkins was a former Greenville resident and had lived in Vicksburg for the past 30 years. He was a retired employee of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District.

A veteran of the Army, he served in the Korean Conflict. he was a member of the Tallulah Bass Club, Taylor Lake Hunting Club and Highland Baptist Church, where he had served as a deacon and on various committees.

He is survived by his wife, Lena McBroom Watkins of Vicksburg; two sons, Gordon Watkins and Curtis Watkins, both of Vicksburg; a daughter, Debbie Caldwell of Vicksburg; one sister, Jo Wright of Bainbridge, Ga.; and one grandchild, Kirk Austin Watkins of Vicksburg.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Glenwood Funeral Home with the Revs. Brian Ivy and Anthony O’Neal officiating. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park.

Visitation will be from 5 until 8 tonight at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Dwain Cotton, Bob White, Jim Brannon, Sammie Loper, Carl Dew and George Byars.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Joseph Wilson, Dr. Shawn Panzer, Dr. Albert Chiemprabha, Dan Ellis and members of the Tallulah Bass and Taylor Lake Hunting clubs.

Memorials may be made to the Baptist Children’s Village r Highland Baptist Church Building Fund.